


On Chocolate Frogs and True Friendship

by Yumi_chan00



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts, Marauders' Era, Multi, jily, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-10 05:26:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14730806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yumi_chan00/pseuds/Yumi_chan00
Summary: The story of the Marauders from the very beginning until the very end. It is the story of true friendship and love that was once forged with chocolate frogs on September 1st 1971 on the Hogwarts Express.





	1. The Hogwarts Express

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [We Were Infinite](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4989265) by [WolfstarPups90](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfstarPups90/pseuds/WolfstarPups90). 



Sirius Black came from a family with lots restrictions and lots of hatred. There wasn’t much you were allowed to do when you came from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And if you did anything opposing their rules you would surely face the consequences. It was a harsh scolding if he’s lucky or a slap in the face if he’s not. And as much hatred Sirius Black has known in all his life - hate against Gryffindors, against mudbloods, against muggles, blood traitors, queer fellows, him - as little love has he ever experienced.

  
But even though he spent his life without much positive feelings, there was one thing that the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was never short of: luxuries. Luxuries of all kinds. And especially sweets, more than any child could ever eat in their whole life and more than any person should ever eat.

  
And if there was one thing that Sirius Black was especially fond of, it was chocolate. And he was not just fond of it, he loved it, craved it, his only spot of light in his family, as dark as their name may allude to. He lived for the sweet taste and the honey-like consistence when it melted on your tongue and you could always be sure to find him in the kitchen after a fight with his parents, stuffing tremendous amounts of chocolate under his jumper and disappearing into his room where he stayed, nibbling at his vast stash of Chocolate Frogs and Wands and Cauldrons  
When Sirius Black turned eleven he went to Hogwarts as it was befitting for the heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. As he arrived at platform 9 ¾ half his trunk was stuffed with chocolate – not that he was expecting a famine but neither could he hope to receive the life-saving sweets from his parents.

  
With both his pockets stuffed he quickly hopped on the train, searching the compartments with first-years for some unoccupied space for him to sit. He was quick to find one, still nearly empty apart from one plump first year that almost jumped as Sirius slammed the compartment door open. “Hello my dear fellow!” Sirius greeted him. “Name’s Sirius, mind if I sit here?” Before the poor boy could even overcome his shock Sirius had slumped himself across the whole seat opposite to him. “Cat got your tongue? What’s your name?”

  
“Wh-what are you d-doing here?” he stuttered.

  
“Going to Hogwarts, obviously. Same as you are, what-are-you-doing-here.”

  
“B-but why do you sit here?” he squeaked in an utterly unmanly voice.

  
“Hiding from my cousins of course.” Sirius sighed and sat himself up straight and stretched his hand out. As the boy still didn’t seem to move Sirius grabbed his hand and placed it firmly in his. “Pleasure to meet you, what-are-you-doing-here. I’m Sirius and I hope we will enjoy this ride.” He grinned widely. “See, that’s how you introduce yourself properly.”

  
The boy looked at him with wide eyes. “P-peter,” he squeaked finally, “Peter Pettigrew.”

  
“Hey, nice job! Won’t be going for Gryffindor, will you?” He rummaged around in his pocket and produced two Chocolate Frogs. “Want some? It really helps when you’re stressed out. I eat it all the time.”

  
Hesitantly Peter took one of the Frogs. “Th-thanks, Sirius,” he managed to say. Silently they both nibbled on their chocolate for a while. “Why?” Peter then asked thinly. “Why do you eat it all the time? You’re stressed out a lot?”

  
“Man, I don’t know where to begin. But you have to know that my family are nicely bred from banshees and dementors probably and that can really give you hell.”

  
He laughed a little. “You’re funny. And you’re really kind.”

  
Now it was Sirius who looked at Peter with big eyes, mouth gaping open. Kind? That wasn’t the word his family usually used to describe him. Trouble-maker for sure, unruly and a disgrace. But kind? Not that the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black would care much for being kind anyway. “Sure thing,” he answered in a second .“The best friendships are forged with chocolate.”

  
Peter nodded solemnly as if Sirius had just said the wisest thing in the world. “You’ve got a lot of friends?”

  
“Nah, not really. Just my brother and I in this asylum we call our home.”

  
“So he’s not one of the banshee-dementors, I suppose,” Peter croaked quietly.

  
Sirius stopped mid-motion, still sucking on one of the legs of his chocolate frog, eying the small pudgy boy cautiously. Then he let out a raw laugh. “Was that just a joke?” Peter seemed to try to sink deeper into the lining, looking scared. “Hey, it was good. You got more of them up your sleeve?”

  
Peter was still looking for an answer as the door of the compartment flew open and a tall boy with lots of hair and very big glasses stumbled in. “Hello my dear companions,” he announced in a great fashion, “I’m James Potter, mind if I sit here?” And with these words he flung himself at the side of poor Peter Pettigrew who seemed to sink even deeper into his seat.

  
Sirius eyed the newcomer sceptically. The Potters were one of the bloodtraitors his family loved to talk about even though they were not even real purebloods. But what did he care what his family said? He wouldn’t go as far as saying that he liked the tall bespectacled guy but at least he seemed to be sympathetic. “What, cat got your tongue?” the boy inquired.

  
“Not in the least my dear Mr. Potter,” Sirius announced in quite the same great fashion the boy hat introduced himself, “You find yourself in the presence of my newest and probably most timid friend, Peter Pettigrew and my humble self who you might call Sirius.”

  
He could see as James’ eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open. “No way!” he exclaimed “Sirius as in Sirius Orion of the Noble-“

  
“- and Most Ancient House of Black, pleasure to meet you. But I prefer if you would keep my family to yourself as I am not particularly fond of my relations.”

  
“He’s got a family bred from banshees and dementors,” Peter added quietly as James jumped up whipping out his wand.

  
“Be careful!” he shouted at Peter “You can’t know how he reacts when you insult him like that. Whatever curses they teach you lot as soon as you can talk…”

  
“Chill mate, he’s got a point, you know.” He winked at Peter and put his hand in his pocket whipping a wand out on his part.

  
The Potter-kid stumbled backwards, collapsing on the seat behind him.

  
Sirius stood above him and put the most malicious looking grimace on his face, trying to imitate his mother. “Scared, Potter?” he inquired, wand pointing towards his mouth.

  
“You wish, Black,” James growled.

  
Sirius shrugged. “You hungry?” He tossed the chocolate wand in James’ lap. “Help yourself. Won’t be hexing anyone with that one at least.” James looked startled at the chocolate in his lap then at Sirius then in his lap then to Peter who was giggling then to Sirius who was trying to hold his laughter. Then he laughed himself.

  
“You should have seen your face!” Sirius howled between fits of laughter.

  
“You arse!” James answered holding his stomach laughing.

  
“You were scared!” Peter gasped for air.

  
Suddenly the train sprung into motion and Sirius was knocked backwards on his seat, silencing their laughter. There was a sudden solemnness lingering in the air. “Gentlemen, we are now commencing a new era of our lives,” Sirius announced “And this moment has to be celebrated. Fear not, I, as the heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black have been properly prepared and supplied for this moment for my whole life. Let us feast upon the mighty stash of chocolate I snuck out of our kitchen. For the best friendships are forged with chocolate!”

  
“The best friendships are forged with chocolate!” Peter and James repeated with rosy cheeks as Sirius emptied his pockets and revealed hideous amounts of sweets.


	2. The Sorting

They had just left King’s Cross as the compartment door flung open for another time. A small and slightly dishevelled boy looked at the three of them panting and confused.

Even though just having left the station their compartment was littered with the wrappings of chocolates of all kinds, their content being smeared all over their faces. “Sorry, nearly missed the train, mind if I – oh dear god!” he exclaimed as a chocolate frog hopped past him and Peter collided with him, trying to catch it.

“Hello, newcomer,” James mumbled with a mouth filled with chocolate, holding out a chocolate wand “Grab a seat, grab some chocolate, be welcome. It’s on my new and dear friend Sirius Black!”

The boy seemed to hesitate, looking sceptically from one boy to the other. “I-I don’t-“ But before he could even express his doubts Sirius pulled him beneath him and nearly stuffed a chocolate cauldron into his mouth.

“Oh bugger that!” he exclaimed “What’s your name?”

“Remus. Remus Lupin.”         

“Cool. I’m Sirius Black that tall kid with chocolate on his forehead over there calls himself James Potter and that one who just tries to disappear is Peter Pettigrew.” He gestured wildly at the other two boys and Remus nearly had to smile as this James Potter tried to remove the nasty brown smudge from his forehead. “And now you eat some chocolate and all is fine.”

“The best friendships are forged with chocolate” Peter added helpfully.

“Why?” Remus asked bluntly.

Sirius shrugged. “Man, I don’t make the rules. But they sure are.”

The ride passed quickly. To everybody’s surprise it wasn’t Peter who spoke the least, it was this Lupin-kid. He only talked once the whole ride when they talked about the Houses. James wanted to become a Gryffindor – obviously – and Remus would be fine with Ravenclaw. Peter didn’t know. And Sirius didn’t care as long he wasn’t put in Slytherin.

They shifted to Quidditch and bands and Hogwarts in general and Remus fell silent and asleep. He only woke up as the trolley witch came by and Sirius bought nearly her whole stash (not much else to do as his new friends had consumed his own stock for over a week) and Remus invested some lonely knuts himself for two Chocolate Frogs.

As they approached Hogwarts they fell more and more silent, each of them committed to their own thoughts and Remus to his dreams. Without a word they changed into their robes and stepped out of the train.

Even Sirius who was used to all the pomp and luxuries the wizarding world had to offer was astonished by Hogwarts. It was huge, full of magic and _full of laughing faces_.

A stern looking witch greeted them in front of the great hall, introducing herself as Professor McGonagall, Head of House Gryffindor, Deputy Headmistress and professor for Transfiguration and giving them a speech on the four houses.

“Hey,” James nudged Sirius “Promise me mates, no matter what happens we stay friends, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Sirius nodded, only subconsciously registering that Remus and Peter did the same. His heart thumped louder than his mother’s footsteps as the gates of the Great Hall opened and McGonagall led them through them.

A stool with a lumpy looking head awaited them. “When I call your name you will step forward and try on the hat. It will then announce your house and your will join your housemates at the table.” Sirius couldn’t even hear her voice anymore and feared for one moment he might collapse out of anxiety. It was only as someone (probably James) pushed him forwards, that he realized that he had to try on the hat. With shaking knees he stepped forward, thankful for the stool to sit upon. He was glad that he had not to see his face as he was convinced it must show his fear instantly.

_“Ah, young Mr. Black,”_ the hat said _in his head_. _“I have put a great many of your ancestors in-“_

_“Not Slytherin!”_ Sirius answered angrily.

_“Huh, what was that?”_

_“Not Slytherin!”_ Sirius repeated.

_“Oh, but you would do so well there. I see a lot of ambition here along with a sharp and cunning mind.”_

_“I don’t care. Not Slytherin!”_

_“Ah, and stubbornness. And a great deal of ancient chivalry. Oh and bravery. You’re such a brave little boy, aren’t you? Standing up for your brother and all. Well then I better put you in-“_

_“GRYFFINDOR!”_ the hat shouted.

Silence fell on the Great Hall, Sirius could hear _that_. And then: “You rock, Sirius!” James shouted. The Great Hall filled itself with noise again, mainly from the Gryffindor table erupting in cheers. Still with shaking knees but grinning Sirius made his way over to his new housemates.

He didn’t pay attention to the sorting at all and was just staring at the plate in front of him. He tried to put on a smile as Remus sat down beside him, looking equally shook by the decision of the sorting head. Peter, to his own surprise, followed next, hopping up and down on his seat until James joined them to calm him down. “Not so much chocolate for you then, next time,” Sirius tried to joke.

As soon as the sorting was over and Dumbledore held a short speech food appeared on the table. Everyone left and right to Sirius began eating, stuffing themselves with all the riches but he couldn’t get down a bite.

“Hey,” James asked worriedly, “Something’s off?”

Sirius shook his head, trying to smile and trying not to think of the next morning when the post would arrive. James shrugged and turned, starting to pester a redheaded witch to his right that seemed to have no interest at all in a conversation.

Remus was as quiet as he was the whole ride and only his blinking showed from time to time that he was still awake.

It was Peter that passed a Chocolate Frog over the table. “Here,” he said with a shaky voice. “Heard it makes you feel better when you’re stressed out by banshee-dementors.”

“Thanks mate,” Sirius answered and showed Peter the only genuine smile he was able to produce this evening.

Sirius was glad as they were lead to their common rooms and dormitories. He felt as if he could sleep a whole lifetime and immediately collapsed on the bed beneath his trunk. He only barely managed to change into his pyjamas and grumpily let James convince him that he had to brush his teeth (“Eww, that’s disgusting mate, come on!”) but then curled up under his blankets.

He heard James and Peter fall asleep quickly but couldn’t sleep himself. The trouble his parents would cause him was too much of turmoil. 

It must have been late at night when he heard footsteps behind him. “Sirius?” Remus asked cautiously. “I’m sorry we ate all your chocolate.”

“What?!” Sirius exclaimed.

“Shh, not that loud, you’ll wake the others.”

“I mean- what?!” Sirius asked again in a hushed voice.

“You’re sure angry that we ate all of it and I – I wanted to apologise.” Sirius turned, stunned. Lupin stood there in the moonlight, holding the two Chocolate Frogs that he bought outstretched.

“Nonsense,” Sirius waved. “We’re friends, remember? Besides I already bought enough of it. And I’ve still got tons.”

“So, you’re not angry with us?”

Sirius sighed, lifting his blanket. “Come here, will you? Your feet must be freezing.” He waited until Remus had crawled onto his bed and pulled out two chocolate wands. “It’s the sorting,” he confessed.

“Are you not happy with Gryffindor?” Remus asked while biting a bit chocolate off.

“I am happy with it. But my parents are not. Every Black has been in Slytherin. And now _that_ …”

“I get it,” Remus said quietly.

“Really?” Sirius’ face lit up. “You didn’t seem happy with the sorting either, I recall. Family?”

“No, not at all. It’s just… I haven’t ever got many friends…”

“Me neither.” Sirius paused. “But now we’ve got each other, you know. Forever.”

“Forever?”

“I solemnly swear it.” They shook each other’s hand.

“Remus?” Sirius asked after a period of silence. “You staying here?”

“Forever,” Remus mumbled sleepily. “I solemnly swear it.”


	3. Owl Post

Sirius awoke the next day to an empty bed beside him and James on his back, jumping excitedly. “James fricking Potter will you get off my back!” Sirius growled trying to push him to the ground. “Ouch! You’re hurting me!” Sirius grunted as James finally got off and dragged himself to the bathroom.

Remus was nowhere to be found.

They quickly dressed themselves and hurried down to the Great Hall for their breakfast. Sirius shovelled a big mountain of food on his plate, feeling finally hungry as opposed to the former evening. He sat down besides Remus who murmured something about being a morning person and not wanting to disturb the others.

Sirius managed to get down one toast with baked beans and half of a fried egg as the air was suddenly filled with owls. There were hundreds of them, each carrying letters and packages with sweet words and sweet food, dropping their charge in the laps of excited students.

For Sirius there was no such treatment and for short thirty seconds he hoped that his parents had just forgotten, that they hadn’t got a letter to inform them in which house he had been sorted. He hadn’t written for sure but you could never know what Andromeda or Narcissa had done. One of them had surely informed the family dutifully about the disgrace he had once again brought over the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And then he saw it: it was the great eagle owl of his family that swept into the Great Hall, carrying a letter in bright Gryffindor red.

“Oh shit, mate,” James mumbled with a mouth filled with bacon as the letter was dropped in Sirius lap.

“You better open it fast,” Peter squeaked. “It only gets worse if you wait.”

Sirius took a deep breath. He could practically feel the stinging stares from the Slytherin table where Narcissa and Andromeda sat. With another deep breath he ripped the howler open.

“SIRIUS ORION BLACK,” howled the magically amplified voice of his mother. “YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE. NOT ONCE IN MY LIFE HAVE I BEEN SO ASHAMED. MY SON AND HEIR SORTED INTO GRYFFINDOR, CONDEMNED TO A LIFE WITH MUDBLOODS AND BLOODTRAITORS LIKE THESE FILTHY POTTERS AND EVEN THEN LACKING THE COURAGE TO WRITE TO YOUR OWN PARENTS. THERE IS NOTHING BRAVE AND CHIVALROUS IN BEING TOO SCARED TO CONFESS THE TRUTH TO YOUR OWN PARENTS. YOU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST HAD THE INTEGRITY TO WRITE TO YOUR OWN BROTHER BUT INSTEAD HE HAD TO LEARN ABOUT IT VIA THE LETTER OF NARCISSA.

“NARCISSA, DEAR BE SURE WE DO NOT PUT THE BLAME ON YOU. IT WAS MOST KIND OF YOU TO INFORM US, ONLY THE BEST TO YOU AND YOUR SISTER.

“BUT YOU SIRIUS, ONLY WAIT UNTIL YOU COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, I SWEAR YOU. YOU HAVE NEVER IN YOUR LIFE BEEN IN SUCH TROUBLE.”

With every word Sirius seemed to shrink more into his seat, flinching as if he feared that the letter would give him the beating that surely waited for him at home. As the voice of his mother finally died and the howler transformed itself into a pile of ash right on his breakfast Sirius straightened himself. He tried to look into the faces of his friends with a smile but failed. He only managed a horrible grimace while James looked at him with a sad expression in his eyes and Peter stared at him open-mouthed. Remus didn’t look at all. He felt as if a cruel hand tightened around his heart. “I am sorry that all of you had to witness this,” he said with a very stern voice. “Please feel assured that I do not share the views of my family on those wizards they call mudbloods and bloodtraitors. Especially not on you James. If you would excuse me now.” And with these words Sirius stood up and left his barely touched breakfast along with these friends he had just found and lost within the course of a day.

He tried to ignore the calls that reached him from the Slytherin table even though he could swear that he heard the laugh of Narcissa. He would not break down, he decided, but meet the hardship of the seven years that lay ahead of him as it befitted the heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black: with his head held high.


	4. The First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day in Hogwarts starts differently than expected.

Sirius Black did not turn up or class the entire day. As soon as he had left the Great Hall he had made his way over to the hospital wing (and had lost his way at least three times until he had found it). Once inside he had put on his best impression of a cruel stomach ache and told the mediwitch (who informed him most politely that her name was Madam Pomfrey) that he felt too sick for class.

The look of compassion and pity made him almost throw up on the spot and he nearly fell out of his role as she told him: “The heart is located a good bit above of your stomach but I will let that count. You don’t have to go today-“ Sirius’ face lit up with joy. “-as long as you promise me to have spoken with the head of your house until the end of the week, Mr. Black.”

He quickly promised that he would, in fact speak with Professor McGonagall and really felt sick from the thought of it. For a moment he considered going to class instead of facing the stern looking with but the thought of the look on the faces of his dorm mates convinced him otherwise.

Madam Pomfrey forced him to swallow some disgusting potion and wanted to get him to eat some chocolate too but he politely declined as he was convinced that the lingering taste of the potion would ruin chocolate forever for him. Nevertheless, she gave him

With the rest of the school in class Sirius walked up to the Gryffindor tower again, determined to stay there for the rest of his life. _If I just would stay in bed for all eternity_ , he wondered as he pulled the curtains around his four-poster shut, _could they force me to get out of here and go to class? Or to go home?_

 

Sirius spent a very big part of the day in his bed trying to sleep and trying not to cry even though treacherous tears kept creeping up into his eyes.

At some time he got hungry. He was sure that it was past lunchtime and he wondered whether or not there would be something to eat for him in the Great hall. He contemplated it until he heard voices seeping up from the common room and then he didn’t dare to go down. Because if he went down he would surely meet his fellow Gryffindors and James and Peter and Remus and they would surely ask if he was okay or at least see that he wasn’t. When the hunger became overwhelming he pulled out the chocolate Madam Pomfrey had given him and wolfed it down.

Even as he was sure that it was time for dinner because the voices in the common room had died once more and he was so unbearably hungry that he consumed for chocolate frogs at once without even looking at the cards he did not dare to go down to eat. He still hadn’t come up with a masterplan how to deal with all this mess he called his life and he had only until the next morning to think of one.

No, not quite. He had only time until the other three boys came up again because they would of course ask questions and try to talk to him. Or they wouldn’t talk to him at all. Sirius didn’t know which one of these thoughts it was that made him finally cry, not holding back his tears anymore. He cried so hard that he didn’t even hear the steps outside of the door that stopped next to his bed.

“Sirius?” Remus asked.

Sirius suddenly stopped crying, wiping his sleeve aggressively across his face. “Yes?” he answered but even then his voice broke.

“Can I come in?”

Sirius breath stopped. A nasty hiccup escaped his mouth. He tried to dry his tears with his sleeve once more. “I-I don’t know,” he answered.

But before he had even finished his sentence Remus had pulled the curtains back with a worried look on his face.

“I-I’m not crying!” Sirius claimed with red eyes, snot still hanging from his nose.

“No, of course not. I’ve got you the notes from today.” He held out a pile of parchment. “Peter and James wanted to help too but, uh-“ He shrugged helplessly as he handed him another pile filled with doodles depicting their teachers and fellow students, exaggerating their most unpleasant features. Sirius had to contain himself in order not to stop feeling sorry for himself and start laughing.

“Th-thank you,” he stuttered. “I-I didn’t-“ He didn’t know what to say. “I didn’t think you would still want- you know after what happened- I just-“

“I know,” Remus said. “But here I am. There are worse things than a weird mother.”

He sat on the edge of Sirius bed. “Scoot,” he ordered and Sirius obeyed. They crawled together under the blanket just as they had done the night before and fell silent.

Sirius didn’t know what to tell Remus. He felt stupid for calling in sick, for not going to class. But still he felt ashamed. Ashamed for what his mother had said, about him but also about his friends. He wanted to apologize, but no sound left his mouth.

“I just wanted to check if you’re okay. That was pretty nasty of your mom…” Remus said finally.

“Nah, that’s just how moms are, I guess.”

Remus eyes went wide. “My mom’s not like that”, he breathed. “Not that I would know many other moms but mine always says she loves me and hugs me and gives me sloppy kisses I don’t want.”

Sirius shook his head. He didn’t have a mom, not a real one anyways. He had a mother, a strict pureblood lady who had a reputation to lose and a son apparently determined to do only that. His mother told him that he was a disgrace, she scolded and hit him at the worst.

“Is that why you say that your family was bred from banshees and dementors?”

“Yeah…”

“Why?”

“Well banshees are pretty nasty, aren’t they?”

Remus could only agree. Not that he had met any but it was commonly known that they were.

“And dementors… You know what they say about Azkaban? That the dementors suck all of your happiness out? It’s the same with my place. There’s no smiles or hope at Grimmauld Place. But the chocolate helps.”

“Yeah, it sure does.”

They sat next to each other, nibbling at the chocolate Sirius had generously provided them. There was nothing to be said but it felt good not to be alone.

Their silence was only broken as Peter and Jams stumbled into the dorm, loud and messy as always. James boasted about the Gryffindor Quidditch team and that he was sure to join this very week while Peter tried to explain to him that _you can’t join while you’re a first year. And besides – what is Gryffindor to the Holyhead Harpies?_

When they saw Sirius their façade cracked for a moment but then they were on his bed talking about Quidditch and stuffing them with his chocolate as if nothing ever happened.

“Man, how did you manage to skip class on the first day?” James suddenly asked and it was like the four boys froze.

“Umm”, Sirius said. “I told the mediwitch I wasn’t feeling good?”

Peter started laughing. “Yeah, sure thing! Be serious, how did you manage it?”

“I am serious!” Sirius exclaimed seriously.

The others blinked. Sirius cackled loudly. “Oh. My. God”, Remus said as he hit his forehead with his palm. “Never. Say. That. Again.”

But now neither Sirius nor James could restrict themselves, they were lying on their backs holding their bellies laughing. “ _That_ ”, Remus said sternly. “Is the worst joke I have ever heard in my entire _life_.” But still he had to fight a smile.

“No, really”, Sirius tried to explain after his laughter had died, “I told her that I didn’t feel good and she let me skip class if I promised that I would see McGonagall.”

The boys stopped laughing and exchanged worried looks. “Did you do it?” Peter asked anxiously.

“What?”

“See McGonagall.”

“No”, Sirius confessed.

“You should better be going”, James insinuated. “She is really strict.”

Sirius frowned and he started feeling sick again. The image of the witch peering over her rectangle glasses quickly turned into his mother yelling and throwing curses. “Will you lot be coming with me?” Now it was him who sounded anxiously.

Less than thirty minutes later Sirius found himself standing in front of McGonagall’s office, freshly showered and groomed with surely half a bottle of Sleakeazy, properly dressed in his best robes, trying to remember the script Remus had quickly written for him. “Remember”, he was now whispering to Sirius, “You knock and then you apologize and tell that something like this won’t happen again. And then you stay silent and say ‘Yes, Professor. Good night, Professor.’ and leave. Got it?”

“Yeah”, Sirius said. _No_ , he thought.

“Good luck”, James whispered before the three of them disappeared behind a corner.

Sirius took a big breath and raised his hand to knock. But before his knuckles could touch the door it swung open and a stern-sounding voice said: “Come in, Mr. Black.”

Warily Sirius stepped inside. It was a big room with a stone floor and a fireplace, windows showing the Quidditch field. Behind a desk sat Professor McGonagall looking down on scrolls of parchment, an enchanted quill moving over it.

“Professor, I am very sorry for –“

“If it would please you, come here, Mr. Black. I do not intend to lead this conversation screaming at you.”

Sirius stepped closer to the desk. “Please have a seat.” As if daring that the chair would hex him he sat on the very edge of it, hunching his shoulders up.

“Look, Professor, I figured that you are angry and I am ready to accept any punishment that you deem adequate but please do net expel me. I promise that something like this will not happen again, I do not know what I was thinking and I am so so-“

“Have a biscuit, Mr. Black.”

“sorry that – Have a what?!”

“Do I stutter? I think that I articulated myself quite clearly. Please, have a biscuit.”

Reluctantly Sirius reached for the jar offered to him, pulling one biscuit out but being too stunned to eat it.

“I am sure that you understand that I will not tolerate laziness or absenteeism in my house. I reckon that Gryffindor is not deemed the most hard-working house but it values old chivalrous behaviour and one has to be educated to achieve that. I also gather that we are not the most ambitious but I do not want to lose the House Cup another year. And we are also not the most companionable house but I am sure that you will find friends here.”

“Yes, Professor”, Sirius said, thankful, that he could follow Remus’ script again.

“But I also care for the well-being of my students. If there is any problem I trust that you will come and speak with me about it.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“There is a problem, isn’t it? The reason why you were absent today?”

Sirius swallowed. “It is just-“, he started but broke off.

“Yes?” Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

“It is not befitting for the heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black to be sorted into Gryffindor”, he said with a voice he barely recognized as his own.

“Mr. Black, if I may remind you that your house, the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black indeed, does not matter here as you were sorted into a new house. You were sorted into Gryffindor where you will surely find a new family.” She glanced at a pocket watch. “It is nearly past bedtime, you should head back to your common room. And be sure to take Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew with you, if you would be so kind.”

Startled Sirius stood up and bowed gracefully as he had learned. “Yes Professor, of course Professor.” He hesitated. “There will be no punishment, Professor?”

“If I am informed correctly Madam Pomfrey considered you sick. I can hardly punish you for that. Good night, Mr. Black.”

“Good night, Professor.” Quickly he walked over to the door but right before he could slip out side he heard once more: “Mr. Black?”

“Yes, Professor?”

“I would like to remind you that your illness is no excuse for me not to do your homework. I expect that you will hand it in tomorrow, just like anyone else.”

A cold shiver crept down his spine. “Of course, Professor.”

And then the door slammed shut behind him and he was surrounded by his friends.

A small smile crept across his face.

He, Sirius Black, bred from banshees and dementors had been raised in a house of green and silver with neither warmth nor happiness nor hope. But he was only more than willing to exchange it for Gryffindor with red and gold, warmth and laughter and family.


	5. The Pranksters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Remus sick, Sirius James and Peter decide to pull their first prank.

It was in no time that Sirius Black discovered a truth that would follow him throughout his life: Making friends with kids was easy.

It was the very same evening that he had a panic attack in the middle of the Gryffindor common room earning him an eye roll from the red-haired witch (“That’s Lily Evans, the most beautiful woman in the world and my future wife”) and a fair amount of laughter from the older students. And annoyed glances from his friends as he quickly copied passages from each of their essays word-by-word.

It had earned all four of them detention the very next day.

But their friendship truly evolved to the next level six days later. Remus was sick since Saturday so they were only three in class.  “Hey”, James whispered to Sirius and Peter during potions, “Do you want to pull a prank?”

“On whom?” Sirius inquired.

“Slytherins of course!”

Peters eyes went wide but still he leaned closer. “What about you, Sirius?” Sirius shot a glance over to their classmates. He knew most of them from family meetings but now they wouldn’t talk to him. The turned his back. He had got a new family now.

“You got me at the word ‘prank’.” Sirius smirked.

“Okay, listen-“

And so they spent the rest of the lesson plotting out their vicious plan and while James and Sirius took the initiative, Peter encouraged them to think broader.

At the end of the lesson they had a battle plan and were ready to face their enemy.

It took them another few hours to seek him out and corner him, James and Sirius on the front and Peter guarding their backs while looking out for teachers.

“Severus Snape!” Sirius called out, standing on top of a flight of stairs, while the boy tried to slip down to the dungeons. “No, that’s not quite like it. Not with that nose or that hair. God, do you even know what a shower is?”

“Yeah, look at him!” James added. “His hair is so greasy, disgusting!”

“That could use a real wash, you know? Lucky my friend James is here, the heir of a fortune won with hair potions. And also lucky, that I know just the right spell for water.” He whipped out a chocolate wand while James held a bottle of Sleakeazy in his hand. “You know, I just hope that the water isn’t burning hot, I haven’t mastered the spell quite yet…”

“What?!” It was the first word Snape spoke, hastily backing away, looking scared. Sirius and James crept nearer, wand and bottle pointed at their victim and Sirius pretended to mumble spells under his breath. That was when Snape, scared as he was, burst into tears.

James and Sirius looked at each other stunned until they started laughing. Sirius tossed the chocolate wand at Snape and coughed: “Look at him! All scared and snivelling!”

“Snivellus! That’s more like it!”

“Yeah, you hear it? Snivellus Snape! Has got a ring on it, hasn’t it?”

“Potter! Black!” The voice of McGonagall cut through the air and as they turned they saw Peter standing in front of her, looking to the ground. “To my office! Now!”

All three of them stood in front of her desk, their eyes cast downwards, enduring her ranting. “I am disgusted. You are three of the most promising students of my house and you spend your free time playing cruel pranks on your classmates. I thought that you were more mature, especially you Mr. Black. I am sure that you have endured enough in your life to know the cruelty of words and how real the threat of hexes may seem.”

“But, Professor”, James tried to protest.

“Silence!” she ordered. “I will hear no more. There is nothing courageous or chivalrous in your behaviour and as much as it pains me, I will take points from you. 20 points from Gryffindor for each of you.”

“But, Professor-!” Now it was Sirius to protest.

“And detention! For a week. I hope that this will teach you your lesson!”

“Yes, Professor”, they answered simultaneously.

“And now go!”

It was late when they returned to their dorm, exhausted from the detention and school work. But when they got back, they found that the dorm was not abandoned. “Remus!” Sirius shouted and flung himself at his friend the moment that he saw him. “Are you feeling better?” Remus flinched as Sirius hugged him tight but said nothing about it.

“What have you done?” Remus asked angrily and shoved him off the bed.

Startled Sirius fell to the ground. “What-?!” he began but the glance Remus flashed shut him up.

“McGonagall told me about it. How could you?” He sounded truly hurt. “What did he do to you to deserve this?”

“It was a joke!” Sirius tried to defend himself.

“It was cruel and undeserved! I- I thought that you wouldn’t care so much about looks. How else would you have befriended Peter?” Sirius practically felt Peter flinch behind him but he only payed attention to the rest of the sentence that hung in the air unspoken. _Or me?_

“You’re no Slytherin”, James was quick to respond.

“You befriended me before you knew in what houses we would be sorted. What if I would have been a Slytherin?”

The boys kept their eyes to the ground. It was Sirius who had the courage to speak up, to voice the words James had meant: “You’re not evil.”

“How can you know that? We met each other barely a week ago! How can you be sure that I won’t hurt you?” His voice broke, tears glimmering in his eyes.

Peter and James were shifting uncomfortably from one foot to another, still not daring to watch him, as if to give him some privacy while they were circling him. Only Sirius looked him dead in the eye. “You won’t”, he responded, voice steadier than he felt. “You never would.”

“How could you know?” Remus’ voice sounded tormented.

“I grew up with them, alright?” Sirius snapped. “I grew up surrounded by people who only deemed those of pure descent worthy of magic, those willing to hurt anyone, even their own family! And you are nothing like them, get it? Never!” And with these words Sirius stormed out of the room.

It was late at night when he returned after spending hours running from Filch and his friends, hiding in broom closets from McGonagall not just once disturbing snogging couples.

The Fat Lady scoffed at him for being out of bounds, but he ignored her, dragging himself upstairs and collapsing on the bed. He would have fallen asleep immediately if it hadn’t been for the creaking floorboard next to Remus’ bed that ripped him out of his drowsing.

And before he could protest Remus had slipped underneath the blankets next to him. “I’m sorry”, Remus said. “I’m just being… tired from my… sickness.”

“It’s okay”, Sirius sighed, actually being thankful for the comforting warmth that came along with their late night talks. “I just couldn’t stand how you compared yourself with _them_.”

“Just… How can you be so sure?”

“It’s your eyes”, Sirius admitted. “They are so incredibly kind and scared and loving. They can’t possibly ever be evil.”

Remus looked like he wanted to say something, opening and closing his mouth like a fish but the both fell silent and Sirius drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

“Sirius?” Remus woke him once again.

“Hmm?”

“About that prank… I think I’ve got an idea without doing any harm to anyone?”

Suddenly Sirius was awake. “What?!”

“Of course only if you’d be interested in anoth-“

“Guys!” Sirius yelled darting out of bed to wake the others. “Ickle Remikins wants to help us with a prank!”

As easy as it had been to wake Sirius up, as hard it was to convince the others but about half an hour later they all gathered on Sirius’ bed putting their heads together, whispering about the plans of the Greatest Prank Hogwarts Had Ever Seen, at least in their opinion.

In this night sleep was out of the question for any of them, much to the dismay of their teachers on the next day.

 

 


	6. The Marauders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Marauders pull their very first prank and receive their name.

Silently, the four soon-to-be Greatest Pranksters of Hogwarts in Its History waited for the voices in the Common Room to fade, made sure McGonagall had already checked on them before making their descent.

“ _Lumos_.” Sirius lighted his wand and lead them through deserted hallways and into abandoned classrooms whenever they heard footsteps dangerously close to them.

They lost their way thrice while trying to find the library, reason for Remus to curse under his breath not for the first time, muttering: “We could really use a map…”

After nearly endless wandering, they reached the library. Silently they slipped inside, carefully eyeing their surroundings. They couldn’t afford Madam Pince or Filch catching them, or, even worse, Professor McGonagall. “Okay, go!” Remus murmured and they spread simultaneously into different directions. After a few turns, Sirius pulled out the bag he was carrying under his robes, taking an alarm clock out of it. He placed it carefully behind a book, then hurried on until he had distributed all of them.

Then he met with the others at the front door, then they made their way back to the Gryffindor tower. While Peter and James were sticking their breasts out prod, Remus was quivering mor nervously than before. “You okay?” Sirius asked quietly.

“Yeah. It’s just…” He shook his head. “You would think that I am silly.”

“Never”, Sirius said solemnly.

“Do you know how many rules we’re breaking? I’ve never done anything forbidden before!”

Sirius smiled. “It’s thrilling, isn’t it? The adrenaline rushing through your body. And you’ll be so relieved when you’re safely back. And just wait, until they’ve discovered what we’ve done.”

“Yeah, but first we have to get back safely.”

They were nearly there as the heard the soft padding of paws behind them, and a gentle meow. When they turned they discovered to their horror a silver tabby cat. “Shit!” James cursed but before he could finish his sentence Sirius hat ushered them into another classroom. “Mrs. Norris!”

Out of breath Remus shook his head. “That wasn’t Mrs. Norris. That was just some other cat.”

“So what are we waiting for?” Peter almost darted out of the classroom again if it hadn’t been for James and Sirius who pulled him down.

“We’re staying _here_ ”, James insisted.

“We can’t afford being caught”, Remus agreed. “Half of Gryffindor hates you three already for losing so many points, I don’t want them to drown all of us in the lake.”

“And _that_ was no normal cat. Believe me, I grew up surrounded by cursed objects and I can tell when something is magical. We’re waiting just for another ten minutes.”

They waited silently, James stretching out on a chair and starting to drowse, while Peter fidgeted until Sirius yelled at him. Remus paced up and down like a tiger in a cage muttering to him how stupid this had been from the start.

Sirius already had his hand on the door handle as he heard a loud bang. All four of them turned around, quivering with fear only to see-

“Peeves!” James yelled. “What the hell? You scared us to death!”

The poltergeist giggled. “Oooh, what have we got here? Students out of bed.” He continued singing. “Students out of bed, students out of bed, STUDENTS OUT OF BED!”

“Merlin’s beard, will you keep quiet?!” Sirius hushed.

“But why should I?” Peeves giggled again. “What would you be doing here, marauding around out of bounds?”

“Shit, shit shit, shit, shit!” Remus cussed under his breath while Peter tried desperately to calm him down.

“Okay, Peeves, listen”, James tried quietly. “Just… trust us? Don’t sell us out to McGonagall. Believe me, you will like what we did!”

“Hmmmmmmmm”, he protracted the sound, leaning down to them. Just as his and James’ noses almost touched he said: “Okay!” And with that he vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

With him gone Sirius just quickly glanced up and down the hallway before he declared the passage safe and all of them hurried to the Fat Lady. Once in their dorm, they collapsed on their beds and fell asleep immediately.

 

The next morning they woke up earlier than usually, partially due to an incredibly loud (and girlish) yelp of Sirius as Remus jumped onto his back and the laughter of James (Merlin, Sirius, are you sure that you don’t belong into the other dorm?) that could even wake the dead (even though they had their difficulties with Peter).

But whatever grudge Sirius should be holding for being knocked up before they would get into trouble, it all was repaid when he saw Remus’ face, so genuinely happy he’s never seen him before.

Despite nearly falling asleep again at the breakfast table, the same adrenaline that they all felt last night got hold of their nerves when they tried to stroll casually to the library as if they were totally not expecting something and just going to class as they would every day. But Sirius was sure that someone had to know something, James was grinning like an idiot, Remus was chewing on his nails and Peter was bouncing up and down again and “Seriously Peter, could you _stop_?!” He shot each of them an angry glance. “No, all of you! Just, don’t act so suspiciously!” But of course, not even Sirius could stop himself from being differently and even though they were all expecting something and they knew exactly what this something was, each and every one of them jumped in synchronisation with all of the students passing the library at 8 am sharp. It was a faint sound, the ringing of an alarm clock and the not so faint sound of Madam Pince yelling. Just as she had discovered the source of noise, another alarm clock started ringing on 8:01 am. Five minutes or so later all those who were able to witness this prank were losing it completely. All but the four Gryffindor first-years who were beaming proudly.

That was until they heard a sharp voice behind them: “Potter, Black, Pettigrew, Lupin! My office, now!” They turned to find McGonagall behind them.

Once the door shut behind them they all spoke at once: “Please do not expel us!” said Remus only to be followed by Peter: “We didn’t do any harm.” James was the least helpful with saying: “You’ve got to admit, that it was fun, Professor.” Sirius was the only one to say something actually helping their situation: “You’ve got no proof!” The glance the witch shot them shut them up.

“I can’t believe it. You’re hear for less than three weeks and are already causing trouble! I have to admit, that I expected it of you, Mr. Potter. But you, Mr. Black, coming from such a well-educated family-“

“My family has got nothing to do with this, Professor”, Sirius pressed through gritted teeth.

“And you, Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew, two so very quiet and obedient students…”

“How can you even assume that it was us?” Remus asked, picking up what Sirius had said. “You haven’t got any proof.”

Just as the words had left Remus’ mouth, McGonagall produced four chocolate wrappers out of the depths of her robes. “A few spells have revealed that it has been indeed you, Mr. Lupin, along with your companions that were the last to touch these wrappers. And it was quite a coincidence that you lost them in the library.”

“But you can’t proof that it we dropped it there last night!” James blurted.

“There are witnesses testifying against you.” She sighed. “Detention. For all of you.”

 

It was late, again, when they stumbled out of detention with Slughorn, which consisted in scrubbing his cauldrons. Sirius was pretty sure that they walked the same staircase thrice until they reached the Gryffindor tower and Peter was again complaining that they could use a map.

“One that shows us if someone is near…”, James muttered.

Sirius just shook his head. “Not today…”, he yawned and pulled the curtains around his bed shut. Although being incredibly tired, he couldn’t sleep for a very long time. The waning moon was still bright enough to light his way over to Remus’ bed. “Remus?”, Sirius asked hesitantly. “Are you still awake?”

Remus grunted but his curtains opened so Sirius slid under the covers with him. “Are you angry?”

“No. Just tired. Let me sleep, dumbass.”

“Hm, okay.” Sirius turned away from him so he was facing his own bed. He was very sleepy and very tired but as he was drifting off to sleep he was still fairly sure that he heard Remus saying: “It was definitely worth it.”


End file.
